History

Immanuel Church-on-the-Hill was established in 1941 by the Virginia Theological Seminary (VTS). The Very Rev. Alexander C. Zabriskie, then Dean of VTS, served as the first rector. The Rev. Robert F. Gibson, Professor of Church History (and later Bishop of Virginia) served as Priest-in-Charge. Services were held in the historic Immanuel Chapel on the seminary campus.

In 1946, the Seminary gave a parcel of land to the parish for the purpose of building a rectory and a parish hall, which were completed in 1948. In 1958, a smaller chapel, named in honor of Dean Zabriskie, was dedicated at this site to accommodate a 9:00 a.m. Sunday service.

The Zabriskie chapel and parish hall were renovated in 1992, and a new Mander organ was installed in June, 1994.

From 1948 to 2010, Immanuel Church-on-the-Hill conducted services in both the Immanuel Chapel and the Zabriskie Chapel. Immanual Chapel was destroyed by fire on Oct. 22, 2010. Upon completion of the new Immanuel Chapel in 2015, services are once again being held both in Zabriskie Chapel and on the VTS campus.

Further reading:

John O. Walker, Immanuel Church-on-the-Hill: Origin and Early Years -- 1936-48 (1966), pdf.